U.S. patent number 4,615,256 [Application Number 06/715,402] was granted by the patent office on 1986-10-07 for method for formation of three-dimensional woven fabric and apparatus therefor.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Agency of Industrial Science & Technology, Ministry of International. Invention is credited to Eiji Aoki, Kenji Fukuta, Takeshi Kitano, Yoshihiro Nagatsuka.
United States Patent |
4,615,256 |
Fukuta , et al. |
October 7, 1986 |
Method for formation of three-dimensional woven fabric and
apparatus therefor
Abstract
A method for the formation of a three-dimensional woven fabric
comprises causing arms of carriers disposed around one component
yarns out of three mutually perpendicular component yarns and
having the other two component yarns separately held thereon to be
rotated, opposing carrier arms of adjacent carriers to each other
thereby effecting transfer of yarns, and successively effecting
said transfer of yarns to carrier arms of the subsequent carriers
thereby enabling the two component yarns to be displaced and
zigzagged relative to the remaining one component yarn. An
apparatus for effecting the aforementioned method essentially
comprises a multiplicity of carriers arrayed longitudinally and
laterally on a carrier holding plate and means for imparting
necessary movements to the carriers. The three-dimensional woven
fabric can be formed in a desired shape or yarn arrangement by
suitably varying the pattern of arrangement of the two component
yarns.
Inventors: |
Fukuta; Kenji (Ibaraki,
JP), Aoki; Eiji (Hachioji, JP), Nagatsuka;
Yoshihiro (Ibaraki, JP), Kitano; Takeshi
(Ibaraki, JP) |
Assignee: |
Agency of Industrial Science &
Technology, Ministry of International (Tokyo,
JP)
|
Family
ID: |
13030113 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/715,402 |
Filed: |
March 25, 1985 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Mar 23, 1984 [JP] |
|
|
59-56547 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
87/33; 139/11;
87/37 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D03D
41/004 (20130101); D04C 1/06 (20130101); D04C
3/40 (20130101); D04C 3/38 (20130101); D04C
3/08 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
D04C
3/00 (20060101); D04C 1/06 (20060101); D04C
1/00 (20060101); D03D 41/00 (20060101); D04C
001/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;139/1R,DIG.1,11
;87/33,37,24 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Jaudon; Henry S.
Assistant Examiner: Machuga; Joseph S.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Oblon, Fisher, Spivak, McClelland
& Maier
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for the formation of a three-dimensional woven fabric,
said method comprising the steps of:
(a) causing arms of carriers disposed around one component yarn out
of three mutually perpendicular component yarns to be rotated in
the state of separately holding in place in said carrier arms of
said carriers the shafts of each of bobbins on which the other two
component yarns are wound in prescribed lengths;
(b) effecting transfer of said bobbins between opposing carrier
arms of adjacent carrier; and
(c) successively effecting transfer of bobbins to carrier arms of
the subsequent carriers, thereby allowing said two component yarns
to be displaced and zigzagged at least partially relative to the
remaining one component yarn.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said transfer of yarns is
effected by causing said carrier arms of said adjacent arms to be
rotated in mutually opposite directions.
3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said transfer of yarns is
effected by causing said carrier arms of said adjacent arms to be
rotated in freely selected directions.
4. A method for the formation of a three-dimensional woven fabric,
said method comprising the steps of:
(a) causing arms of carriers disposed around one component yarn out
of three mutually perpendicular component yarns to be rotated in
the state of separately holding the yarn ends of the other two
component yarns in said carrier arms of said carriers;
(b) effecting transfer of said yarn ends between opposing carrier
arms of adjacent carrier; and
(c) successively effecting transfer of yarns to carrier arms of the
subsequent carriers, thereby allowing said two component yarns to
be displaced and zigzagged at least partially relative to the
remaining one component yarn.
5. An apparatus for the formation of a three-dimensional woven
fabric, said apparatus comprising:
(a) a multiplicity of carriers arrayed longitudinally and laterally
on a carrier fixing plate, said carriers being each provided with a
carrier shaft which incorporates therein an insertion hole and is
provided with means for rotating said carrier;
(b) a carrier arm formed of a pair of arm pieces and disposed on
said carrier shaft and possessed of at least one arm piece adapted
to be opened and closed to effect transfer of yarns between
adjacent carriers; and
(c) means for rotationally driving said arm piece of said carrier
arm, said means comprising a cam disposed coaxially on said carrier
shaft, a toothed wheel for rotationally driving said cam, a lever
operatively connected to said cam so as to oscillate in contact
with said cam, a toothed wheel, and a rack for transforming the
oscillation of said lever into a rotational movement and causing
rotation of at least one of said arm pieces.
6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said carrier arm is
formed of a pair of arm pieces and said mechanism for rotationally
driving said arm pieces is formed of a cam disposed coaxially on
said carrier shaft, a toothed wheel for rotationally driving said
cam, a lever adapted to oscillate in contact with said cam, a
switch adapted to be actuated by said oscillation of said lever, an
electromagnet adapted to be electromagnetically driven by the
operation of said switch, and a toothed wheel and a rack for
transforming the linear movement due to the driving of said
electromagnet into a rotational movement and transferring said
rotational movement to at least one of said arm pieces.
7. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said two component
yarns to be displaced and zigzagged between rows of said one
component yarns are wound on bobbins and the shafts of said bobbins
are held in place between said arm pieces of said carriers.
8. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said arm pieces of
said carrier arms are fitted with elastic pads to preclude
accidental separation of yarns from between sair arm pieces.
9. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said carrier arm is
formed of one arm piece, said arm piece is provided in the interior
thereof with an air suction path opening near the leading end of
said arm piece, said arm piece is provided with a yarn holding
recess adapted to take hold of a yarn end and further provided with
a tubular sheath adapted to slide forward when said recess takes
hold of said yarn end.
10. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said carrier arm is
formed of one pair of arm pieces and one of said arm pieces is
fixed on said carrier shaft and the other arm piece is attached so
as to be moved forward or backward relative to the remaining arm
piece by hydraulic pressure.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method for the manufacture of a
three-dimensional woven fabric of a desired shape formed of three
component yarns laid in longitudinal, lateral, and vertical
directions and to an apparatus to be used for working the
method.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Three-dimensional woven fabrics formed of three component yarns,
i.e. longitudinal yarns, lateral yarns, and vertical yarns are used
as woven or as the substrate for fiber-reinforced composite
materials using matrices of resin or inorganic substance.
Particularly, composite materials using the three-dimensional woven
fabric have found utility as materials for heat-resistant parts in
high-speed flying bodies such as rockets because they exhibit
outstanding composite effects embracing shear strength and other
mechanical properties and thermal properties as well. These
materials are expected to find extensive utility in a wide spectrum
of applications demanding various structures which feature light
weight and high strength.
Concerning the method and apparatus for the formation of such
three-dimensional woven fabric as described above, means of
obtaining a perpendicularly intersecting woven fabric having
longitudinal yarns and lateral yarns laid straight in parallel
between series of vertical yarns (as disclosed in Japanese Pat. No.
922,489), means of obtaining a woven fabric having yarns in one
direction displaced and zigzagged relative to a series of
longitudinal yarns by alternately causing adjacent rows of
longitudinal yarns to be translated to permit insertion of vertical
yarns therebetween (as disclosed in Japanese Pat. No. 933,637), and
means of laterally displacing and zigzagging the positions of both
lateral and vertical yarns relative to rows of longitudinal yarns
(as disclosed in Japanese Pat. No. 1,121,410) have been known to
the art.
The means enumerated above as known to the art turn out to be
methods or apparatuses which are useful for the formation of
relevant textiles, namely a three-dimensional woven fabric having
component yarns arranged in a perpendicularly intersecting pattern,
a woven fabric having yarns in one selected direction displaced and
zigzagged, and a woven fabric having yarns in two directions
displaced and zigzagged relative to the yarns in the other
remaining direction. They, however, are devoid of versatility and
consequently incapable of enabling the condition of yarn
arrangement to be freely varied or permitting their woven fabrics
to be formed in various cross-sectional shapes as desired.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,312,261, there is proposed an apparatus which is
highly versatile in terms of arrangement of fibers and which
permits a multiplicity of yarns or strands to be interwoven in
various patterns by causing yarn feeders having yarns or strands
wound up on bobbins to be suitably moved by electric commands and
magnetic force. However, this apparatus is not intended to form a
three-dimensional woven fabric by combining yarns of different
dimensions as laid in perpendicularly intersecting X, Y, and Z
directions. In terms of arrangement of fibers, the invention of
this U.S. patent conceptually belongs to the category of the
conventional braid formation. The product of this invention,
therefore, differs in construction and combination of yarn
components from the three-dimensional woven fabric. The invention
is incapable of producing a three-dimensional woven fabric which
possesses three-dimensional isotropy or anisotropy which is an
important attribute to the substrate for component materials.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
This invention aims at overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks
suffered by the conventional devices. An object of this invention
is to provide a method and apparatus which enable a
three-dimensional woven fabric consisting of three component yarns,
i.e. longitudinal yarns, lateral yarns, and vertical yarns, or a
three-dimensional woven fabric consisting of three component yarns,
i.e. circumferential yarns, radial yarns, and longitudinal yarns,
to be efficiently formed in a construction having two component
yarns displaced and zigzagged relative to the remaining one
component yarns. Another and more particular object of this
invention is to provide a method and apparatus which, in the
formation of such a three-dimensional woven fabric as mentioned
above, are versatile in the selection of paths for the component
yarns to be displaced and zigzagged and further versatile in the
selection of patterns of weaving sufficient for permitting
manufacture of woven fabrics formed in the shape of cubes, hollow
angular columns, and cylinders.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To accomplish the objects described above, the method of this
invention effects formation of a three-dimensional woven fabric by
rotating carriers one each around one component yarn of three
perpendicularly intersecting component yarns, with the remaining
two component yarns held on bobbins supported in the arms of the
carriers or adapted to have their ends held directly in the carrier
arms, and successively transferring the bobbins or the yarn ends to
arms of the subsequent carriers. In consequence of the operation
just described, the two component yarns are enabled to be suitably
displaced and zigzagged relative to the remaining one component
yarns to give rise to the three-dimensional woven fabric aimed
at.
The apparatus of this invention for working the aforementioned
method in the formation of a three-dimensional woven fabric
comprises a multiplicity of carriers disposed on a carrier fixing
plate. These carriers are each formed of a carrier shaft provided
in the interior thereof with an insertion hole and a carrier arm
disposed on the carrier shaft, adapted to be rotationally driven to
effect transfer of a bobbin or a yarn end to the subsequent
carrier, and possessing at least one arm piece. With the apparatus
constructed as described above, desired formation of a
three-dimensional woven fabric is attained by passing one component
yarn through the insertion holes in the carrier shafts, allowing
the carrier arms holding therein the other two component yarns or
the bobbins having the two component yarns wound thereon to be
rotated around the one component yarns, and successively
transferring the ends of the two component yarns or the bobbins to
the subsequent carrier arms thereby enabling the two
perpendicularly intersecting component yarns to be displaced and
zigzagged relative to the one component yarn advancing through the
insertion holes.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The characteristic features of the present invention will become
more apparent from the description given in further detail
hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
FIG. 1 is an explanatory plan view schematically illustrating the
operation principle of carriers which are an essential component
for the construction of one embodiment of the present
invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory plan view schematically illustrating the
operating principle of carriers in another embodiment of this
invention.
FIG. 3 is a schematic explanatory diagram illustrating displacing
and zigzagging movements of yarns brought about by the carriers of
FIG. 1.
FIGS. 4(A) and 4(B) and FIGS. 5 and 6 are explanatory diagrams
illustrating other conditions of yarn arrangement resulting from
displacing and zigzagging movements of yarns in varying
patterns.
FIGS. 7 and 8 are a partially cutaway front view and a side view,
respectively, of a typical carrier.
FIGS. 9 and 10 are plan views illustrating the conditions of
movements of the carrier of FIGS. 7 and 8.
FIG. 11 is a plan view illustrating a cam incorporated in the
carrier.
FIGS. 12 and 13 are a side view and a plan view illustrating
another embodiment of an arm-piece opening and closing
mechanism.
FIGS. 14 and 15 are a partially cutaway front view and a side view
illustrating a modified version of the carrier.
FIGS. 16 and 17 are plan views illustrating the conditions of
movements of the carrier of FIGS. 12 and 13.
FIG. 18 is a partial explanatory diagram illustrating typical means
for positioning and holding a yarn end in the carrier arm.
FIG. 19 is a schematic structural diagram of a weaving machine
having this invention applied thereto.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 illustrates the basic construction of a carrier which
constitutes an essential element for the construction of a typical
apparatus for the formation of a three-dimensional woven fabric as
a first embodiment of this invention and the manner of movements
produced by the carrier. In this embodiment, the yarns to be
displaced and zigzagged between the parallel rows of yarns are
supplied by being released from bobbins. The carriers 1, therefore,
are bobbin carriers whose function is to effect successive transfer
of bobbins to the subsequent carriers. The carriers 1 are each
formed of a carrier shaft 2 provided therein with an insertion hole
3 for a vertical yarn (hereinafter referred to as "Z yarn") and a
carrier arm 4 enabled to take hold of and release a shaft 6 for a
bobbin 5 holding thereon a longitudinal yarn and a lateral yarn to
be arranged in a plane perpendicularly intersecting the Z yarn
(hereinafter referred to respectively as "X yarn" and "Y yarn").
The carrier arms 4 can rotate around their respective carrier
shafts 2 and are so constructed as to effect successive transfer of
the bobbins 5 to the subsequent carriers at the four
circumferentially spaced positions I, II, III, and IV. In FIG. 1,
only one carrier is illustrated in detail and merely carrier shafts
2 of the other carriers are depicted.
The carriers 1 are rotated by an electric device such as a pulse
motor or a mechanical device such as a toothed wheel attached
directly to the respective carrier shafts 2, so that the movement
of each carrier 1 is synchronized with the movement of the other
carriers 1 in accordance with the construction of the woven fabric
aimed at.
The majority of these carriers 1 are disposed on a plane
perpendicularly intersecting the Z yarns, depending on the size and
shape of the three-dimensional woven fabric. The distance equally
separating the carrier shafts 2 (hereinafter referred to as
"carrier pitch") is twice the distance between the axes of the
carrier shafts 2 and the axes of the bobbin shafts at the positions
the bobbins are held in place.
In a second embodiment of this invention illustrated in FIG. 2,
yarn carriers are used as the carriers 1. The bobbin carriers used
in the first embodiment and the yarn carriers in the second
embodiment are equivalent. The bobbin shafts 6 are held in place by
the carrier arms 4 in the first embodiment, whereas the carriers
used in the second embodiment are modified so as to take direct
hold of yarn ends 6'. These two embodiments are identical in all
the other respects, namely in terms of the other component elements
and their movements.
Now, the basic operation of the carriers for the guidance of yarns
in the first and second embodiments will be described below with
reference to FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, the operation is depicted as
effected with the bobbins used in the first embodiment of FIG. 1.
By interpreting the term "bobbin shafts" used herein as
additionally representing yarn ends because of their equivalency
described above, the operation of causing yarns to be directly held
in place by carriers involved in the second embodiment of FIG. 2
will be readily understood.
In FIG. 3, for the sake of simplicity of illustration, the carriers
1a-1n regularly spaced by the carrier pitch are portrayed as
disposed in one signle row so that the adjacent carriers will be
rotated in mutually opposite directions. Each row of carriers is
provided at the opposite ends thereof with package stations 7, 8.
In the embodiment of FIG. 1 using bobbins, bobbins 5 having a
required length of yarn wound thereon are temporarily stored on the
package stations 7, 8. In this connection, in the embodiment of
FIG. 2, X yarns or Y yarns of a kind and a length proper for the
construction of the woven fabric aimed at are stored on the package
stations 7, 8.
In the construction described above, one bobbin 5 supplied from the
package station 7 is caught in the carrier arm 4 of the carrier 1a
at the bobbin transfer position P.sub.0. This carrier arm 4 makes
one half clockwise rotation around the carrier shaft 2 and reaches
the bobbin transfer position P.sub.1, there to have the bobbin 5
deposited in the carrier arm 4 of the carrier 1b which is rotated
as synchronized with the carrier 1a. At the same time, the carrier
1a releases its hold on the bobbin 5. The bobbin 5 now held in
place in the carrier arm 4 of the carrier 1b is delivered to the
subsequent carrier 1c after the carrier 1b has completed its one
half counterclockwise rotation. After this procedure has been
repeated on all the carriers involved, the bobbin 5 is finally
moved to the package station 8.
Prior to the operation described above, a required number of Z
yarns are passed through the Z yarn insertion holes 3 in all the
carriers. With the Z yarns so positioned in the carriers, these
carriers are caused to hold one bobbin 5 after another supplied
from the package station 7 and the carriers are rotated as
described above to pass the bobbins 5 through the series of
carriers from the package station 7 to the other package station 8,
with the result that the Y yarns (Y.sub.1) are laid in the path as
illustrated in FIG. 4(A).
Then by returning the bobbins 5 to the package station 7 by
reversing the aforementioned procedure, the Y yarns (Y.sub.2) are
laid as illustrated in FIG. 4(A). Thus, these Y yarns can be
arranged as displaced and zigzagged relative to the Z yarns.
As concerns the movement of bobbins illustrated in FIG. 3, when the
amount of a yarn wound in advance on each of the bobbins 5 at the
package station 7 is sufficient for the bobbin to be passed on
through the series of carriers and brought to the package station 8
without requiring the yarn to be replenished in transit and when
the bobbin 5 so brought to the package station 8 is not required to
be retained there because of the particular yarn construction, the
bobbin 5 can be returned from the bobbin transfer position P.sub.n
directly to the package station 7 without being sent through the
package station 8.
The majority of the carriers 1 are used as disposed on a plane
perpendicularly intersecting the Z yarns. Similarly to the Y yarns
described above, the X yarns are enabled by these carriers to be
arranged as displaced and zigzagged relative to the Z yarns. FIG.
4(A) illustrates the condition in which the Y yarns and X yarns are
displaced and zigzagged relative to the Z yarns. The package
stations 7x, 7y, 8x, and 8y illustrated in this diagram are
disposed as aligned to the files and the rows of Z yarns.
OptionallY, just one or a plurality of package stations may be
disposed for the X yarns and the Y yarns and may be traversed to
the files and rows as required.
The aforementioned arrangement of yarns represents a case wherein
the carriers spaced in the direction of X yarns or Y yarns are
rotated alternately in opposite directions to effect transfer of
bobbins. By suitably selecting the direction of rotation of the
individual carriers and effecting transfer of bobbins from one
carrier to another in a particular pattern accordingly determined,
there can be obtained a three-dimensional woven fabric in which the
paths for the yarns displaced and zigzagged are varied. FIG. 4(B)
illustrates a typical arrangement of yarns resulting from the
aforementioned suitable selection of the directions of rotation. In
the carriers corresponding to the row of Z yarns, Z.sub.1-1,
Z.sub.1-2, . . . Z.sub.1-n, arranged in the first row in the
longitudinal direction, the carriers corresponding to the Z yarns,
Z.sub.1-1, Z.sub.1-5, . . . Z.sub.1-7, are rotated in the clockwise
direction and the remaining carriers are rotated in the
counterclockwise direction to lay Y.sub.1 yarn from the package
station 7y to the package station 8y and Y.sub.2 yarn from the
package station 8y to the package station 7y. Then, with respect to
the row of Z yarns, Z.sub.2-1, Z.sub.2-2, . . . Z.sub.2-n, arranged
in the second row in the longitudinal direction, the positions
through which Y.sub.1 and Y.sub.2 yarns are displaced and zigzagged
are staggered from those in the first row. Similarly, in the
carriers corresponding to the row of Z yarns, the carriers
corresponding to the Z yarns, Z.sub.2-1, Z.sub.2-2, Z.sub.2-6
.about.Z.sub.2-8 are rotated in the clockwise direction, and the
remaining carriers are rotated in the counterclockwise direction to
lay Y.sub.1 yarn from the package station 7y to the package station
8y and Y.sub.2 yarn from the package station 8y to the package
station 7y. The procedure is repeated on the third and following
rows and on the Y yarns to lay the yarns in the direction of Y and
the direction of X. In this case, the three-dimensional woven
fabric is formed so that the X yarns and the Y yarns contain
relatively straight portions in a large proportion and the
positions in the woven fabric at which the X yarns and the Y yarns
are displaced and zigzags relative to the Z yarns are not
concentrated in specific files and rows of yarns.
The formation of three-dimensional woven fabric in the manner
described above assures versatility of operation, not merely in the
selection of paths for the movements of yarns displaced and
zigzagged, but also in the selection of patterns of weaving to
permit manufacture of woven fabrics in the shape of cubes, hollow
angular columns, and cylinders.
FIGS. 4 through 6 are for illustrating this versatility. FIGS.
4(A), (B) represent a case wherein the cross section perpendiculary
intersecting the Z yarns has a rectangular shape, FIG. 5 a case
wherein the woven fabric has the shape of a hollow rectangle, and
FIG. 6 a case wherein the woven fabric has the shape of a
cylinder.
Particularly by disposing the Z yarns only at selected positions
and causing the X yarns and the Y yarns to be displaced and
zigzagged relative to the Z yarns as illustrated in FIG. 5, the
shape of the cross section of the woven fabric perpendicularly
intersecting the Z yarns can be freely selected. In this case,
since the apparatus is operated by the method causing the bobbins
accommodating the X yarns and the Y yarns are successively
transferred along the row of carriers, the X yarns and the Y yarns
can be effectively displaced and zigzagged relative to the Z yarns
which are disposed only at the selected positions.
In FIG. 6, fine lines represent loci 4a of the bobbin holding
position of the carrier arms around the Z yarns, and heavy lines
represent loci 6a, 6b, and 6c of the bobbin shafts displaced and
zigzagged between the Z yarns. The aforementioned loci correspond
to the paths of the X yarns and the Y yarns arranged as displaced
and zigzagged between the Z yarns. The locus 6a represents the path
of a yarn laid in the circumferential direction, the locus 6b the
path of a yarn laid in the radial direction, and the locus 6c the
path of a yarn laid obliquely in the generally radial direction.
The two component yarns, X yarn and Y yarn, to be displaced and
zigzagged relative to the Z yarn may be formed of the yarns laid in
the circumferential direction and the radial direction as indicated
by the loci 6a, 6b. Otherwise, they may be formed of the yarn laid
in the direction indicated by the locus 6c or of the combination of
this yarn with a yarn laid in some other direction. In this case,
the pitch of movement of the bobbins moved in the circumferential
direction as displaced and zigzagged relative to the Z yarns
corresponds to the carrier pitch separating the adjacent carrier
shafts arranged on one and the same circle. The pitch of movement
of the bobbins moved in the radial direction as displaced and
zigzagged relative to the Z yarns corresponds to the carrier pitch
separating the adjacent carrier shafts in the radial direction.
Now, the specific construction and operation of a carrier used for
displacing bobbins will be described in detail below with reference
to FIG. 7 through FIG. 11.
A multiplicity of carriers 1 constructed as illustrated in the
front view of FIG. 7 and the side view of FIG. 8 are arranged as
regularly spaced longitudinally and laterally on the carrier fixing
plate 10 laid perpendicularly to the Z yarns. On the fixing plate
10, the carrier shaft 2 pierced through the fixing plate is
rotatably supported by a carrier shaft supporting block 11. On the
carrier shaft supporting block 11, a cam 12 for controlling the
holding movement of the carrier arm 4 and a toothed wheel 13 for
revolving the working position of the cam 12 are integrally
disposed and rotatably fitted into the carrier shaft supporting
block 11.
The carrier shaft 2 which is rotatably supported by the carrier
shaft supporting block 11 is provided at the center thereof with
the insertion hole 3 for the Z yarns as described previously. To
the upper end of the carrier shaft 2 are fixed a pair of upper and
lower support plates 20, 21 serving to support the carrier arm 4
and other parts pivotally. To lead out the Z yarns passed through
the insertion hole 3, the support plate 20 has a yarn outlet hole
22 bored therein.
The carrier arm 4 provided on the support plate 20 is formed, as
illustrated in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, of one pair of arm pieces 24, 25
adapted to pinch the shaft 6 of the bobbin 5 on the opposite sides
thereof. The pair of arm pieces 24, 25 and mutually engaging
synchronized toothed wheels 26, 27 are attached to carrier arm
shafts 28, 29. These carrier arm shafts 28, 29 are rotatably
supported by the support plates 20, 21. On one of the carrier arm
shafts 28, 29 is fixed a carrier arm rotating toothed wheel 30.
This carrier arm rotating toothed wheel 30 is engaged through an
intermediate toothed wheel 31 with a rack 32 adapted to slide along
a supporting block 33 fixed on the support plate 20.
The rack 32 is adapted so as to be reciprocated in the tangential
direction of the intermediate toothed wheel 31 by the rotation of a
lever 34 rotatably connected to one end of the rack 32 with a
connecting pin 35. The lever 34 is rotatably supported with a
supporting pin 37 on a lever supporting block 36 integrally fixed
in the middle portion thereof on the support plate 21. The lever 34
is also provided on the other end thereof with a sliding member 38
adapted to come into contact with the cam 12. The sliding member 38
is constantly kept in forced contact with the cam 12 by a spring
39. When the lever 34 is tilted by the working recess 12a of the
cam 12 illustrated in FIG. 11, therefore, the rack 32 is caused to
slide thereon and the carrier arm shaft 28 is rotated, with the
result that the arm pieces 24, 25 of the carrier arm take hold of
the bobbin shaft 6 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 9 and the two
arm pieces 24, 25 are released by the recess 12b of the cam as
illustrated in FIG. 10.
The majority of the carriers 1 constructed as described above are
regularly arrayed on the carrier fixing plate 10. In this case,
there is provided means capable of synchronously driving these
carriers so as to effect successive transfer of bobbins through the
rows of carriers. To be specific, a toothed wheel 40 fixed on the
aforementioned carrier shaft 2 is meshed with a worm gear 41
adapted to drive the toothed wheel 40. Thus, the toothed wheel 40
is rotated by a shaft 42 of the worm gear 41. In consequence of the
rotation of the carrier shaft 2 by this shaft 42, the carrier arm 4
can be rotated to a rotational position suitable for transfer of a
bobbin. On the shaft 42 of the worm gear 41, a plurality of worm
gears adapted to be meshed with the toothed wheels on the carrier
shafts of the carriers arrayed longitudinally and laterally on the
carrier fixing plate 10 may be disposed, when necessary, through
clutches, for example. Of course, the toothed wheels 40 intended
for the rotation of the carrier shafts of the carriers can be
driven and controlled by independent drive sources. The toothed
wheel 13 for revolving the operating position of the cam 12 is
meshed with a worm gear 44 on a cam drive shaft 45. Similarly to
the shaft 42 for rotating the carrier shaft 2, this cam drive shaft
45 is driven to be synchronized with the rotation of the cam in the
carrier, depending on the arrangement of yarns aimed at.
When the carrier arms of two adjacent carriers are moved to the
position of bobbin transfer, they are not allowed to collide
against each other. To avoid this collision, it is necessary that
the carrier arms of the two adjacent carriers should be vertically
staggered from each other.
In the carrier constructed as described above, when the cam 12 is
rotated to a prescribed position by the worm gear 44 and then
retained stably in that position and the carrier shaft 2 is rotated
to a prescribed direction by the rotation of the toothed wheel 40
by the use of the worm gear 41, the support plates 20, 21
integrated with the carrier shaft 2, the carrier arm 4 mounted
thereon, the rack driving lever 34, etc. are rotated around the
axis of the carrier shaft 2. While their rotation is in progress,
the sliding member 38 is brought into forced contact with the cam
12 and revolved around the cam 12. When the sliding member 38 rides
on the operating protuberance 12a of the cam 12, the lever 34 for
driving the rack is caused to rotate about the support pin 37 as
the fulcrum. Consequently, the rack 32 is caused to reciprocate
along the supporting block 33. This reciprocation of the carrier
arm driving rack 32 is transmitted through the intermediate toothed
wheel 31 and the carrier arm rotating toothed wheel 30 and
converted into a rotational movement of the carrier arm shaft 28.
Further, the carrier arm shaft 29 is rotated synchronously by the
synchronized toothed wheels 26, 27. Consequently, the arm pieces
24, 25 of the carrier arm 4 take firm hold of the shaft 6 of the
bobbin 5.
The position at which the arm pieces 24, 25 of the carrier arm 4
are to be opened and closed for the purpose of taking hold of and
releasing the shaft 6 of the bobbin 5 (the positions I, II, III,
and IV illustrated in FIG. 1) can be selected by rotating the
toothed wheel 13 with the cam driving shaft 45 and setting the
protuberance 12a and the recess 12b of the cam at the prescribed
positions illustrated in FIG. 11, depending on the arrangement of
yarns in the three-dimensional woven fabric and the shape of the
woven fabric.
Now, the aforementioned package station will be generally described
in below. Having substantially the same construction as the
aforementioned package carrier, the package station is additionally
provided with means for winding a yarn on the bobbin held thereon
or means for exchanging a full bobbin for an empty one. Optionally,
it may be provided with means of producing traverse movement along
the carrier fixing plate. Thus, it is enabled to retain temporarily
the bobbin for the Y yarn and, when necessary, feed the yarn to the
bobbin.
Since the package station is capable of feeding the yarn from time
to time to the bobbin, use of the package station permits a size
reduction in the bobbin to be handled and enables continuous
formation of three-dimensional woven fabric without requiring use
of bobbins of a large size. Further, as the bobbins to be handled
can be lighter in weight, the transfer of a bobbin by the package
carrier can be effected with added ease and the package carrier
itself can be reduced in size.
The foregoing embodiment has been described as constructed so that
the opening and closing movements of the arm pieces 24, 25 of the
carrier arm 4 will be carried out mechanically by the use of a
train of gears 44, 13, 32, and 30, the cam 12, and the lever 34.
Alternatively, these movements of the arm pieces 24, 25 may be
obtained by electromagnetic means or hydraulic means.
FIGS. 12 and 13 depict another embodiment of this invention which
produces the opening and closing movements of the arm pieces 24, 25
by the use of a hydraulic cylinder. Now, this embodiment will be
described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13.
On the carrier fixing plate 10, the carrier shaft 2 provided with
the insertion hole 3 for the Z yarns is rotatably supported by a
carrier shaft supporting block 50 and bearings 51, 52. To the upper
end of the carrier shaft 2, a carrier arm piece fitting block 52
for supporting the arm pieces 24, 25 of the carrier arm is fitted
as integrated with the carrier shaft 2. The shaft 6 of the bobbin
holding the X yarn or Y yarn thereon is nipped on the opposite
sides thereof by the arm pieces 24, 25 of the carrier arm. The arm
piece 25 is provided with a depressed bobbin holder 54 intended to
enable the bobbin shaft 6 to be nipped exactly at the prescribed
position of the arm piece.
On the arm piece 25 of the carrier arm are fixed two rods 55, 56
which are pivotally supported so as to slide on the other arm piece
24 and ensure safe hold and release of the bobbin shaft 6 by the
bobbin holder 54. The arm pieces are interlocked through the medium
of the rods to the moving part of a hydraulic cylinder 57 fixed to
the arm piece 24.
A hydraulic pressure inlet hole 58 provided on the carrier shaft
supporting block 50 is connected to a required pressure generating
device (not shown). The free end of a hydraulic pressure inlet pipe
59 connected to the hydraulic pressure input side of the hydraulic
cylinder 57 is connected to a pipe connecting hole 60 of the
carrier arm piece fitting block 53. A series of conduits are formed
of a cavity 61 enclosed with the hydraulic pressure inlet hole 58,
the carrier shaft 2, and the carrier shaft supporting block to
which the inlet hole 58 is connected, a cavity 62 enclosed with the
carrier arm piece fitting block 53 and the carrier shaft 2, the
pipe connecting hole 60, and the hydraulic pressure inlet pipe 59.
By operating the hydraulic cylinder 57 with the hydraulic pressure
delivered from the pressure generator, the arm piece 24' (25') on a
supporting block 50' of the subsequent carrier 1' is opened and
closed to effect desired hold and release of a bobbin. A spring 63
disposed coaxially with the rod 55 is intended to regulate the
pressure of the arm piece 25 opposed to the arm piece 24. By
manipulation of a pressure adjusting screw 63', the spring 63 is
allowed to regulate the pressure to a level optimum for the holding
of the bobbin shaft.
A carrier rotation index 64 attached to the carrier fixing plate 10
is capable of imparting rotations of prescribed angles around the
carrier shaft 2 to the arm pieces of the carrier arm through the
medium of gears 65, 66. By conferring ON and OFF movements
synchronized with the operation of the index 64 upon the hydraulic
circuit connected to the hydraulic pressure inlet hole 58 at the
prescribed position of the carrier arm piece (position for bobbin
transfer), the bobbin holder 54 is opened and closed to effect
desired hold and release of a bobbin.
FIGS. 14 and 15 are a front view and a side view illustrating a
modified version of the carrier described above. The components
denoted by the same symbols as in the foregoing embodiment are
equivalent in construction and operation. Only the parts
particularly different from the counterparts in the foregoing
embodiment will be described below in detail. The carrier
illustrated herein has a construction such that it takes direct
hold of a yarn end instead of a bobbin and threads its way between
the Z yarns in a displacing and zigzagging pattern. This carrier is
different from the carrier in the foregoing embodiment only in
respect that the distance separating the arm pieces 24, 25 of the
carrier arm 4 is smaller in this embodiment than in the foregoing
embodiment. It, therefore, can be applied as is to the embodiments
of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 which involve use of bobbins.
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, a drive system similar
to the drive system of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 is
formed by causing the carrier shaft 2 which is rotationally driven
by the worm gear 41 and the toothed wheel 40 and is provided with
the insertion hole 3 to be rotatably supported by the supporting
block 11 on the carrier fixing plate 10 and incorporating the cam
12 which is rotationally driven coaxially with the carrier shaft 2
by the worm gear 44 and the toothed wheel 13.
To the upper end of the carrier shaft 2 is fixed the support plate
20 serving to support in place the shaft of the carrier arm 4, for
example. To lead out the Z yarns passed through the insertion hole
3, the support plate 20 has a yarn guide hole 22 bored therein.
The carrier arm 4 provided on the support plate 20 is formed of a
pair of arm pieces 24, 25 having elastic pads 24a, 25a such as of
rubber attached to the leading ends thereof for the purpose of
nipping a yarn end 5. The pair of arm pieces 24, 25 and the
mutually engaging synchronized toothed wheels 26, 27 are attached
to the carrier arm shafts 28, 29. These carrier arm shafts 28, 29
are rotatably supported by the support plate 20. With the
synchronized toothed wheel 27 provided on one of the carrier arm
shafts 28, 29 is meshed a rack 70 adapted to slide along the
supporting block 71 fixed on the support plate 20.
The rack 70 is enabled to reciprocate in the tangential direction
of the synchronized toothed wheel 27 by an electromagnet 72
connected to one end of the rack 70. The electromagnet 72 is
connected to a power source not shown in the diagram through a
microswitch 73 which, by virtue of the contact of the sliding
member 38 with the aforementioned cam 12, opens and closes the
contact. When the sliding member 38 is tilted by the operating
recess 12a of the cam 12 illustrated in FIG. 11, therefore, the
electromagnet 72 is actuated to set the rack 46 sliding and the
carrier arm shaft 28 rotating and the arm pieces 24, 25 of the
carrier arm are actuated to take hold of the yarn end 6' in a
manner illustrated in FIG. 16. In the recess 12b of the cam 12, the
electromagnet 72 is allowed to generate a return movement to open
the two arm pieces 24, 25 as illustrated in FIG. 17.
In the carrier constructed as described above, when the worm gear
44 rotates the cam 12 to the prescribed position and retains it in
a fixed state and the carrier shaft 2 is rotated in the prescribed
direction by the rotation of the toothed wheel 40 generated by the
worm gear 41, the support plate 20 integrated with the carrier
shaft 2 and the carrier arm 4 mounted on the support plate 20 are
rotated around the axis of the carrier shaft 2. While this rotation
is in progress, the sliding member 38 is brought into forced
contact with the cam 12 and rotated around the cam 12. As the
sliding member 38 rides on the operating recess 12a of the cam 12,
the electromagnet 72 for the rack driving is actuated to impart to
the rack 70 a reciprocating movement along the supporting block 71.
This reciprocation of the rack 70 for driving the carrier arm 4 is
transformed into a rotational movement of the synchronized toothed
wheel 27. Since the carrier arm shafts 28, 29 are adapted to be
synchronously rotated, the arm pieces 24, 25 of the carrier arm 4
are enabled to take hold of the yarn end 6' as illustrated in FIG.
16.
Now, the movement of the yarn by the use of the bobbin and the
movement of the yarn without use of any bobbin are compared in
below terms of operational efficiency. When the bobbin having two
component yarns wound thereon is displaced and zigzagged with the
carrier relative to the other component yarns as in the embodiments
of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, since the bobbin is sequentially zigzagged
around the one component yarns while it continues to release the
yarn wound thereon, relative slippage is rarely generated between
the yarns involved. In this sense, the use of the bobbin proves
highly advantageous where no slippage is desired to be generated
between the yarns. The bobbin to be displaced and zigzagged between
the yarns, however, is required to hold thereon yarn of a length
sufficient for the bobbin to reach the subsequent package station
without requiring any replenishment of the yarn. Particularly when
the woven fabric being formed has a large width, the length of the
yarn to be wound on the bobbin is large. As a result, the bobbin
itself is required to possess a large size, the movement of the
bobbin suffers loss of stability due to the increase of size, and a
force required for driving the bobbin is inevitably increased
proportionately. For the bobbin of a large size to be moved between
the rows of yarns, the distance separating the rows of yarns or the
carrier pitch is required to be increased. Since the increase in
the carrier pitch results in a reduction in the density of yarn
arrangement, formation of a woven fabric having dense arrangement
of yarns becomes difficult. Moreover, the aforementioned increase
in the carrier pitch brings about an addition to the apparatus as a
whole without any improvement in weaving capacity and, as a natural
consequence, entails an increase in the production cost.
The decision for or against the adoption of bobbins, therefore,
must be made in due consideration of the state of affairs described
above to ensure the optimum outcome of the apparatus contemplated
by this invention.
FIG. 18 illustrates a typical modified version of the carrier arm
provided with means capable of positioning and holding a yarn end.
This carrier arm may be used in the place of the carrier arm 4 of
FIG. 7 or that of FIG. 17. In the case of the construction of FIG.
18, the carrier arm is formed of a single arm piece 80, which is
provided in the interior thereof with a suction path 81 for drawing
in air by means of an air suction source (not shown). This suction
path 81 opens into a yarn holding recess 82 near the leading end of
the arm piece 80. On the periphery of this arm piece 80, a tubular
sheath 83 is slidably fitted. When the suction of the yarn end by
the yarn holding recess 82 is detected by a variation in the
pressure within the suction path 81 or when the yarn end is judged
to have been sucked by the yarn holding recess 82, the tubular
sheath 83 is slid toward the leading end of the arm piece 80 (the
position indicated by a chain line) by means of an electromagnet or
a hydraulic cylinder, with the result that the yarn is firmly
caught in place mechanically.
When the carrier arm is so constructed, since the yarn end is
caught at a fixed position, the transfer of the yarn end between
the adjacent carrier arms can be carried out with high
accuracy.
Mechanisms for suction holding a yarn end find extensive utility in
numerous textile machines. Of course, any of such mechanisms may be
utilized for the holding of a yarn end in the carrier arm.
FIG. 19 schematically illustrates a weaving machine provided with
the aforementioned mechanism. In this weaving machine, a machine
frame 101 supports vertically movably thereon a fixing frame 103 of
a vertical yarn supporting plate 102 adapted to suspend a
multiplicity of vertical yarns Z. The fixing frame 103 is
vertically driven by the rotation of threaded shafts 105
synchronously rotated by a motor 104 or by some other suitable
means. The vertical yarn supporting plate 102 is provided with
vertical yarn fixing holes arrayed longitudinally and laterally in
conformity with the density of yarn arrangement in the
three-dimensional woven fabric to be formed or the cross-sectional
shape of the woven fabric. Through the vertical yarn fixing holes,
vertical yarns Z having a weight 106 attached to the lower end
thereof are hung down.
In a weaving device 109 fixed to the machine frame 101 in the
middle position thereof, as many carriers 111 as required for the
weaving machine are fixed as arrayed regularly on the carrier
fixing plate 110 constructed as illustrated in FIGS. 7-8 and FIGS.
12-13. These carriers 111 are synchronously moved by a suitable
drive device and the bobbins holding thereon longitudinal yarns and
lateral yarns or the yarns themselves are consequently displaced
and zigzagged at the prescribed carrier pitch between the rows of
vertical yarns Z to lay the lateral yarns and the longitudinal
yarns between the rows of vertical yarns.
The package stations 107, 108 supply lateral yarns and longitudinal
yarns in required length and keep the bobbins or longitudinal yarns
and lateral yarns stored thereon for durations depending on the
arrangement of yarns.
The bobbins or the yarns are mounted so as to be moved along the
carrier fixing plate 110 to suit the arrangement of yarns, the
width of woven fabric, etc. by a suitable drive device and a
sequence control device, for example. Coiled yarns 112, 113 are
chosen for lateral yarns and longitudinal yarns. The individual
yarns are supplied in required lengths through the medium of the
package stations 107, 108.
A frame 114 disposed on the machine frame 101 serves to determine
the visible size and shape of the three-dimensional woven fabric
being formed. It is desired to be capable of suitably adjusting the
size and shape of its opening.
In the foregoing description of the invention, the
three-dimensional woven fabric has been assumed as formed of yarns.
The present invention can be worked advantageously with not merely
what are generally called yarns but also fibrous aggregates formed
of organic fibers, inorganic fibers, or metallic fibers, including
filaments, robings, and tapes having noncontinuous fibers gathered
in bundles.
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